1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to connectors, and more particularly to a connector that is suited for supplying power, and to a combination of male and female connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electronic apparatus needs to receive power from a power supply in order to perform an operation. Usually, the power from the power supply is supplied to the electronic apparatus via connectors. The connectors that are used to make the electrical connection include a male connector and a female connector that are designed to mate. Examples of such connectors are proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications No. 5-82208 and No. 2003-31310, for example.
On the other hand, as a countermeasure against global warming, power transmissions in local areas using high DC voltages are being studied. According to such power transmissions, the power loss during the voltage transformation and power transmission is small, and it is unnecessary to increase the cross sectional size of cables. In information processing apparatuses, such as servers, which have a large power consumption, it is desirable to make the power supply according to such a power transmission.
But when supplying power to the electronic apparatus, there may be undesirable effects on the human body and on the electronic parts if the power is supplied in the form of a high voltage.
In addition, in the case of the electronic apparatus, such as the server, which receives the power in the form of the high voltage, the setup or maintenance of the electronic apparatus is attended to by a service person or maintenance person. Hence, as a safety measure, the connectors used in such an electronic apparatus for making the necessary electrical connections are configured differently from the connectors that are generally used for receiving power from a commercial power supply outlet.